Archive for January, 2010

Planning an 8-9 day trip to Costa Rica, want to stay in 2-3 different areas, any suggestions?

This is our first trip to Costa Rica. We want to do the canopy tour, hot springs, and relax on the beach but we are up for anything really.

What cities and places should we stay?

What activities are "must do" for first timers?

We would like to go to a beach resort at the end of our trip and relax before going home– what areas are the best?

Any tips and/or suggestions are appreciated.

My recommendation for a first trip would include: Arenal Volcano, Manuel Antonio, Monteverde and possibly a trip off the beaten path say down to Corcovado or Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side.

1. Arenal – awesome volcano with hot springs nearby. Get a room with a view of the volcano and watch lava-like mini-eruptions from the mountain. Stay at least two nights because it may be cloudy one night.
2. Manuel Antonio – beautiful riviera like beach area. Lots of tourists and resorts here but a great mix of beautiful beaches, wildlife and great scenery.
3. Monteverde – a "cloud forest" up in the mountains, cooler than the most of the rest of the country but great fun with nearby zip lines and canopy tours.

Ill let your research Corcovado and Puerto Viejo but do check them out.

Flights from Washington DC area to Liberia, Costa Rica?

My son and his wife to be want to go on honeymoon to Liberia, Costa Rica. The flights I see from the DC area (or even Philly), are up to 28 hours travel time or leaving at 6 AM. Are there hub airports on the east coast that are better than others and also are there days to fly where we may get better deals? They get married the night of Sat Oct 4 so would leave Sunday midday or Monday for a week. Thanks

I’d check all the major airlines…..Also, check Champion Air..They fly into Liberia and have fantastic prices….. Also, TACA and Mexicana Air……Also, are you sure about the 28 hours???? That seems like a lot of hours to me….It’s only about 3 hours to Houston Tx from SanJose C.R.

Any one used Costa Rica Extreme (tour company) – specifically Sea Kayaking in Tortuguero?

Looking for opinions on this company? Are they any good? Safety aware? Provided lodging on the kayak trip? Any info you can offer would be appreciated.
Thanks!

That is not one of the tour companies listed in the TicosLand web directory. I cannot tell you if it is reliable. I suggest that you use the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism website to find out more about this company or the TicosLand web directory to find any companies which cater to the extreme tourism trade.

COSTA RICA SURF TRIP?

my oldest son and husband are planing a surf trip to costa rica, when and were would be the best time to schedule a week long trip?

There are a lot of great surf spots, but some depend on your level of advancement. Something to keep in mind when choosing a location.

Jaco is well known as a great place to start or for beginners. However, Jaco is also well known as a party spot and may be a bit more "wild" than you want your family experiencing.

Playa Grande may be a better choice for those looking for more challenge.

There options are numerous and plenty of places to choose.

Where is a good all-inclusive resort in Costa Rica?

My fiance and I are trying to plan our honeymoon. We want good food, nice beaches, and fun activities like hiking in the rainforest and such.

Here is a web page which can help you decide according to your taste:

http://www.govisitcostarica.com/category/hotels/allInclusiveResorts.asp

There you can browse resorts by reviews, name, location, etc, I went to Barcelo Playa Langosta and it was great although not recommended for honeymooners, lots of kids around doing lots of activities. Try this web page, lots of excellent info plus pictures and reviews of all resorts in Costa Rica.

Who offers the best value for reliable car rental service in Costa Rica?

I specifically need a company that has offices in La Fortuna and San Jose. Thanks!

Thrifty seems to have the most reliable car rental that I have seen in Costa Rica. Mine was arranged by MyCostaRicaLink.com and it was easy and inexpensive and hassle free. They had offices all over the country but Lynn at 866 498 0824 arranged it all for me and I didn’t have to do anything- they even came and picked me up. Check out:http://www.mycostaricalink.com/transportation/#rentals

I sent a package to Canada from Costa Rica, how long will US customs hold it?

I sent a package from Costa Rica to Canada, all it had in it was some papers for my lawyer, how long will they keep it at US customs for?
I sent a package from Costa Rica to Canada, all it had in it was some papers for my lawyer, how long will they keep it at US customs for? I don’t know why they would hold it but they did!
i dunno we sent it through fedex and i guess it stopped in the states.

Why would the US touch it?

I need to make a 3-D map of Costa Rica for a Spanish project.I am totally lost! Does anyone have any ideas?


3D MAP? Do you mean a 3D model of heights ? Any specific format or just the picture? Or a "sand table" (real heights model that you put on the table)?

1. If we are talking about a sand table map then what you need is topographical map of Costa Rica. Topographical maps have height lines that show the "cut" of different heights over the country. You need a thick cardboard paper or something thicker which you could cut with a knife or scissors. What you do is you copy the map as much times as there are height lines on your map and you take each page and glue it to the cardboard. You then cut the cardboards on the lines of height and you get a set of cutouts which you glue one on top of the other. With enough patience you will get a "sandtable" model.

2. If we are talking about the digital model get a free software called terragen and a Digital Elevation Model file for Costa Rica. You can get the DEM (digital elevation model) from WWW.USGS.GOV , however you will have to look for it.

3. If you just need a picture I am sure you can find one using http://images.google.com and looking for Costa Rica map with Extra-Large or Large pictures.

Costa Rica Hotel?

Can you please tell mne a nice Hotel 20-30 minutes away from the San Jose International Airport in Costa Rica ?

Just need it for the first night i arrive and the night before the flight out.

would prefer someting away from the airport & the city.

thanks in advance :)

there are several
www.trappfamilycountryinn.com
www.hotelvilladolce.com

where in costa rica should i go for my honeymoon?

we want to go to costa rica for our honeymoon in july, but we need some good recommendations for hotels, what part we should stay in, restaurants, etc. We want to stay in a nice hotel with all of the accommodations and are willing to spend a few thousand dollars for about a week. All input is greatly welcomed!!

Luna Lodge in Corcovado – an amazing retreat in unspoiled rainforest – perfect for a honeymoon

http://lunalodge.com/